Those who know me can vouch I do not deviate from my signature red nail manicure. OPI’s Big Apple Red is my poison of choice, or the closest shade match I can find when offered the colour wheel of overwhelming options in my local nail bar.
In a world where we’re presented with a plethora of choice in everything: from our morning barista coffee, to who we date (thanks Hinge). Even buying a pot of hummus throws up thirty options in the supermarket aisles. There’s something calming then, about taking the decision-making out of regular rituals, which is why I’m a red talons and soya cappuccino gal, if you’re asking.
However, if there’s one nail option that’s going to lure me out of the habit of a lifetime – it is cult at-home gel nails brand Mylee, who are on a mission to encourage us to bare all and embrace a nude nail.
Earlier this month, I attended the launch of Mylee’s Bare Elements collection which has doubled the brand’s existing collection of nude shades with an additional 20 hues, creating an inclusive range of 40, and a gel colour to suit every skin tone.
Just like Fenty’s initial 2017 launch of 40 Pro Filt’r foundation shades, this launch feels both groundbreaking and an oversight by the wider beauty industry. One nude does not fit all, and it therefore seems strange that we’re so limited in shade range when it comes to nude collections in both beauty and fashion. Nude lipsticks, nude shoes, and nude underwear: just some of the style staples often overlooked in shade diversity by brands.
When I stepped into Wood Quays in Embankment, the beautiful Thames-side venue for the event, the first thing that struck me was the diversity of the beauty industry taste-makers in attendance. It was clear from the guestlist alone that Mylee’s launch has resonated with influencers and journalists who feel both excited and represented by this latest product innovation.
All the same, I wasn’t convinced there was a nude nail shade to suit me. I have naturally pale, cool-toned skin which presents a smattering of freckles in the summer months and can find neutral tones that often leave me looking washed out.
Mylee’s approach to nudes is threefold. First and foremost, everyone should have a tone to match their skin tone. Secondly, the brand suggests finding a nude that will ‘elevate’ nails – as a guide, the elevate shade tends to be a handful of shades away from your nude match. Finally, Mylee recommend investing in a ‘contrast’ nude – defined as a colour that differs from your natural skin tone, (think baby pink nails against black skin and visa versa) whilst complimenting your natural undertones.
To say I was surprised by my pairings was an understatement. I’d expected pinky hues would work best for my skin. Whilst this was true for my nude match, the delicate ‘Tickled Pink’ shade, however my elevate shade ‘Naturally, Darling’ was a deeper peach pink that I would not have reached for in the salon. This was also quite different to my contrast shade ‘Strip Polka’, a rich clay brown which, to my surprise, complimented my cool tones beautifully. If you’d like to discover the Mylee shade for you, there is an intuitive quiz on the brand’s site which walks the user through your colour matches from the entire range, including nudes.
I haven’t even mentioned the number one selling point of Mylee’s gel polishes – you can apply them and remove them in the comfort of your own home. The thicker viscosity of Mylee’s gel builder formulations also helps nails to become stronger over time with use, and can encourage nail growth.
Builder gels also carry the added benefit of lasting longer with good prep and application; expect three weeks of wear chip free versus the usual two weeks conventional gels offer. “I don’t go to the salon for manicures anymore” one of the guests, beauty journalist Alice told me at the event. “Since using Mylee’s polishes my nails have become stronger – I even use it on my toes” she said while presenting her French tipped, flawless DIY pedi.
I took home a lamp from the event, buoyed to try Mylee for myself and eschew expensive salon visits. Could I be converted to nude gel builder nails over my signature red? Perhaps not indefinitely – but I’ll certainly be purchasing a doppelganger of Big Apple Red in the Mylee range; some habits are easier to break than others.
